Job Description
LEADERSHIP OPPORTUNITY – BUYING DIRECTOR (LEADING HEALTH & BEAUTY RETAILER)
Job Title: Buying Director
Reporting To: Commercial Director
Location: Slough or Weybridge
Salary: £100,000–£115,000+ (Negotiable on level of experience)
Package: Car Allowance, Private Medical, Pension, Holiday Allowance, Product Discounts, Onsite Parking
Type: Full Time, Permanent (3 days office vs 2 days home)
About the Opportunity
We’re seeking a commercially astute and forward-thinking Buying Director to lead our Health & Beauty buying strategy and trading performance. This is a pivotal leadership role with end-to-end accountability for delivering compelling customer propositions, shaping supplier strategy and driving category growth at pace.
As a key member of the senior leadership team, you will define the strategic direction of our product offering – across own-label, brand partnerships, and branded ranges – ensuring our health and beauty categories remain competitive, innovative and customer-focused in a dynamic retail environment.
Key Accountabilities
* Set the mid-long-term buying strategy across health, beauty, wellness and personal care categories, aligning with broader commercial and business goals
* Lead and develop a high-performing buying team, fostering a culture of strategic thinking, accountability, and agility
* Build differentiated category plans, informed by data, customer insight, market trends and commercial performance
* Own the supplier and sourcing strategy, developing long-term partnerships that unlock margin growth, exclusivity, and innovation
* Shape the promotional and pricing architecture, balancing short-term trading outcomes with long-term brand value
* Collaborate cross-functionally with marketing, supply chain, digital and finance teams to drive seamless execution across all channels
* Provide commercial leadership at a strategic level, influencing board-level discussions and contributing to business transformation initiatives
* Champion a customer-first approach, ensuring product ranges are relevant, trend-led, and aligned to changing shopper behaviour
What You’ll Bring
* Experience in a Senior Buying managerial role – ideally within Health, Beauty, FMCG or Retail
* A strategic thinker with the ability to translate vision into action, balancing long-term growth with short-term trading performance
* Exceptional strategic supplier management and negotiation skills, with experience shaping joint business plans at scale
* Demonstrated ability to lead high-performing, multi-category buying or trading teams
* Strong analytical mindset, with the confidence to use data to shape strategic decision-making
* Deep knowledge of customer behaviour, category performance levers, and the competitive landscape
* A collaborative and influential leader, confident operating at senior executive level
This is a unique opportunity to shape the future of health and beauty retail at a time of significant momentum and innovation. If you’re a commercially driven leader with the vision and capability to lead at pace — we’d love to hear from you.
Apply now or get in touch directly at tom.richards@harbourneassociates.com